AS SOON as they lined up, members of the Giant offense Monday night realized the best way to break down the Falcon defense was to throw the ball. And so the Giants did, early and often, pass after pass, finding the airways to their liking en route to a season-high 21-point first half.

The Giants immediately noticed that safety Lawyer Milloy “was poking his head in there most of the time,” according to guard Chris Snee, meaning he was creeping up at the line of scrimmage, adding an extra defender for run support.

“That makes things tough when it comes to the run,” Snee said. “He’s a very strong run player. We tried to back him up, but he really wasn’t, he was keeping his nose in there, and that’s why we were able to get some big plays.

“They were committed to bringing him up there and stopping the run, so we had to take what they were giving us, and we were able to hit some big plays, that’s something that good offenses have to do.”

What the Giants displayed in their tidy 31-10 victory over the Falcons inside the Georgia Dome is that they are evolving into a good offense. Eli Manning’s right arm was able to exploit a Falcon secondary that, because Milloy was up in the box, often allowed Plaxico Burress to go against singled-up coverage with a cornerback. Manning shredded that strategy. Later, once the lead was established, the Giants changed gears and pounded away with their own multi-faceted running game.

It was a formula that not only created a four-game winning streak but also season-highs in first downs (28), total yards (491), offensive plays (75) and time of possession (39:38).

It wasn’t always clean – Manning lost the ball on a fumble and tossed two interceptions – but there is no denying the Giants are coming together as a viable playoff contender.

Up next is a Giants Stadium meeting with the 49ers (2-3), a team riding a three-game losing streak and limited by a severely challenged offense. After that, it’s a trip to London for the pitiful Dolphins.

The most impressive aspect to the Giant attack is the way it has grown stronger and meaner as the games progress. Against the Jets and Falcons in successive weeks, the Giants gained exactly 188 rushing yards, and of the 376 yards, 69 percent (258 yards) came in the second half. Perhaps there is something to the summertime theory that bruising running backs Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Reuben Droughns will make life miserable for opposing defenses the later it gets in a game.

“Really when you look at it, you have to give a lot of credit to our running backs,” center Shaun O’Hara said. “I think you’re seeing our big running backs almost kind of wearing down the defenses. When you’re rotating Brandon and Derrick Ward and Reuben Droughns in there, those are three physical guys. While a lot of our yards might not be coming in that first half, I think a lot of the reason they’re coming in the second half is because of how big they are, and they’re kind of wearing down the defense.”

Coach Tom Coughlin isn’t sure if the Giants are inflicting fatigue on their opponents, but he does know he likes what he sees.

“I don’t know if it’s a wear-down thing,” he said, “but it’s a strength of ours we have to continue to develop.”